Strawberry Cheesecake

This is a combination of two recipes plus a little bit of my changes. One is Natasha Kitchen and the other is Sugar Spun Run. This is the first time I've had tried one of Sugar Spun Run recipe, won't be my last. Go checkout both of these bloggers, they are great.

For the Crust:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs, from 15-16 whole crackers
• 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 350. Line the bottom of 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine graham crackers with sugar then stir in melted butter.  Mix until moisten. Press crumbs into your prepared pan,  going 3/4of the way up the sides. Bake in the center of the oven at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.  Cool to room temperature.

Cheesecake;

4/ 8oz cream cheese blocks, room temperature 

1 1/8 cup sugar

⅔ cups sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla 

⅛ teaspoon salt

4 large eggs room temperature, lightly beaten 

Lower oven to 325

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add cream cheese and stir until smooth and creamy (don’t over-beat or you’ll incorporate too much air)

Add sugar and stir again until creamy.

Add sour cream, vanilla extract, and salt, and stir until well-combined. If using a stand mixer, make sure you pause periodically to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula so that all ingredients are evenly incorporated.

With mixer on low speed, gradually add lightly beaten eggs, one at a time, stirring just until each egg is just incorporated. Once all eggs have been added, use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again and make sure all ingredients are well combined.

Pour cheesecake batter into prepared springform pan. Wrap springform pan with foil, bake on cookie sheet pan.

Transfer to the center rack of your oven and add a pan of hot water to the rack below cheesecake.  Bake at 325 for about 75 minutes. ( mine baked for about 90 minutes) Edges will likely have slightly puffed and may have just begun to turn a light golden brown and the center should spring back to the touch but will still be Jello-jiggly. Don't over-bake or the texture will suffer.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on top of the oven for 10 minutes. Once 10 minutes has passed, use a knife to gently loosen the crust from the inside of the springform pan (this will help prevent cracks as your cheesecake cools and shrinks). Do not remove the ring of the springform pan.

Allow cheesecake to cool another 1-2 hours or until near room temperature before transferring to refrigerator and allowing to cool overnight or at least 6 hours. I remove the ring of the springform pan just before serving then return it to the pan to store. 

Strawberry topping;

1 pound strawberries,  rinsed, hulled and thinly sliced. Plus more to garnish.

1/3 cup sugar 

1 Tbsp lemon juice.

In a medium saucepan,  combine chopped strawberries,  lemon juice,  and sugar. Set over medium heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and continue simmering,  stirring occasionally for 20-23 minutes,  or until the sauce is thickened. Cool to room temperature.  Add to top of chilled cheesecake, cover top with sliced strawberries.